Mangus to see Barker Thursday

By Phil Kornblut

QB Drew Barker of Hebron, KY has been quiet this week as his decision day of Friday approaches. He did confirm via a text message Wednesday night USC quarterbacks coach GA Mangus will visit with him Thursday. Kentucky coaches were in earlier in the week. Barker plans to announce Friday at 3:30 PM for either the Gamecocks or Wildcats with Tennessee a wild card in the race. Barker favored USC after visiting Columbia for the Tennessee game. "Of my offers, South Carolina is definitely number one," Barker said at the time. "They have drilled into my head that they want me. I really like how the offense was run and how the coaches handle their players." Tennessee later became a player after Butch Jones took over the program. Kentucky, however, has made the strongest run of late behind new coach Mike Stoops. Barker was ignored by the previous staff but Stoops has made the home state star a priority. The Wildcat staff has flooded his mailbox with notes and letters. Barker spent the weekend in Lexington for the spring game and was given the hard sell about being the next home grown quarterback hero at UK. And his family are strong Kentucky fans. But Mangus was the first to offer, has been recruiting him the longest, and has built a strong relationship. Steve Spurrier has also thrown his weight into the battle even allowing Barker to stand on the field with him and call plays during a spring practice visit. "I could definitely tell coach Spurrier definitely wanted me on this trip," Barker said at the time. "He spent a lot of time with me and definitely wanted me to know that I was wanted there." Barker has not tipped his hand. His decision is so airtight the recruiting analysts who cover USC and Kentucky basically are split down party lines on their predictions.

OL Parker Boudreaux of Orlando reports an amazing total of over 70 offers at this point. About 15 of those programs have separated from the pack and Clemson is firmly in that group. Boudreaux visited Clemson last season for the North Carolina game and raved about the experience. He is returning this Saturday for a junior day and will bring...

OL Luke Elder of LaGrange, GA holds offers from about 15 schools including USC and Clemson. Some of his other offers are Ole Miss, Cal, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Tennessee, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Missouri, Florida State and Vanderbilt. He doesn't yet have favorites but he plans to formulate a top 10 or in the near future, and he...

Clemson holds its second junior day for the 2016 recruiting season this Saturday and one of the invitees is Bamberg-Ehrhardt OL Drew Wilson (6-4 290). Clemson has had a lot of success attracting top talent from the Red Raiders' program over the years and Wilson is another drawing the Tigers' interest according to assistant coach and recruiting...

OL John Simpson of Fort Dorchester won his first 4A heavyweight wrestling championship over the weekend. His wrestling season limited the amount of football recruiting travel he could get in over the past couple of months, but Simpson is ready to move forward with that now.

AC Flora WR Denzel Johnson made more improvement on his last ACT and according to his coach should be qualified at the end of May as long as there’s no slippage in his regular grades. And that possibly will mean Johnson suiting up for Clemson this fall.